


Red as Candle

by silurica



Series: Look to Love, Always [1]
Category: Fallen London | Echo Bazaar
Genre: Gen, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Seeking Mr Eaten's Name (Fallen London)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-06
Updated: 2018-04-06
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:47:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 799
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28241877
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silurica/pseuds/silurica
Summary: A descent that is also an ascent, one step at a time.
Series: Look to Love, Always [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2068755
Kudos: 1





	Red as Candle

Seven betrayals, a stench. The footsteps of the false saints, resounding hollowly in the dark. A candle. A Reckless Researcher was the first fool of the seven, who brought up a question, “Is it really a betrayal if the to-be betrayed consents to it?”

No matter. The Knavish Agent moves on to acquire St Beau’s.

The carnival at midnight. Mrs Plenty makes an attempt to dissuade him from going down the path of destruction further, asking him questions, reminding him of his place in London, his life. Still, he insists that going North, bringing the reckoning is his purpose. He shall sacrifice his home, as he is convinced he doesn’t need a place to return to if he will go North, any place he will sleep in from that point on is only temporary.

St Beau’s in hand, he fumbles in the streets and eventually arrives at a house, noisy with the calling and the singing of ravens.

_Of course my feet would take me here._

He knocked, and he received a welcome. He spoke of how he got there, and he received a congratulation.

He has a place again for now. Only temporary, yes.

Next, St Cerise’s. He saw in a dream, he needs to make more sacrifice. He decides to go through all of the whispers, the secrets, the stories he has collected, and craft them all into a single story, a story that will be cherished by him if no one else. It will be a fitting end to his career in collecting and trading information. Down, all shall go down into the well.

The Researcher found out about his plan, and being the destructively supportive person she is, offers to help writing the story.

One of the questions Plenty asked resurfaced to his mind. What about the friends you will leave behind?

That night, he was convinced no one will miss him. He was aware of what a horrible person he is, even before he began to Seek. But here’s this woman, who never tries to dissuade him from this path, who supports him wholeheartedly; taught him the Correspondence to navigate his strange dreams, patched up his wounds whenever he scarred himself, willingly accepted the burden of knowledge, gave him a place to stay, and now…

“This is nonsense. I don’t get it, what will you gain from helping me? Everyone else think this is a fruitless endeavour.”

“What? Why are you suddenly—well, you gave me some peculiar knowledge, I’m grateful for that.”

“That’s it? Really?”

“Listen, I don’t necessarily approve your approach in many things, but since our ways are different, we can see matters in different perspectives and gain different knowledge. I will always be happy to exchange information with you, especially since information concerning that former Master is not easy to obtain.

“Besides, it would be against my principle if I discourage you from something this important for you. Hell, it is dangerous, but risks are there to be taken! But if you want to stop, that’s your choice to make. I will help you as long as you are not hurting innocents, got it?”

As expected from her, but a curious answer regardless. Her persistence in helping him is even more so. Why does it make him feel a little warm?

While they work on the story together, he starts reconsidering his relationship with the Researcher. There was a bumpy beginning, but when they learned of how they share a mother tongue, they began to help each other more in times of needs. _I was just using her. I am still using her._ But the more he remembers, the more he realises how their relationship isn’t as vile as he thought, and this strange feeling he is getting…

How did he get here again? On his own, all on his own. He has used some people to make the way, but he went after them on his own. Deception and betrayal are the only ways he is used to for as long as he can remember. Most people will leave him as soon as they realise that, for good reason.

But this woman? _This fool?_ She knows, yet she stays by his side for some reason, offers him help again and again. And he has helped her in return - willingly or not - more than he has done for anyone else. He just realised.

_Who is the fool now?_

He takes a look at the Researcher’s study. Stacks of books in all corners, lead plaques scattered all over, and a faint smell of dust and ashes and singe. Next to vague scribbles of what could be Correspondence sigils, a scrap of note was pinned. The small handwriting on it is clearly hers.

_“In matters of the Bazaar, look to love, always.”_


End file.
